Social Impact

Kindness and Respect are two of our core Dragon values, extending far beyond our immediate relationships. We want our young people to understand their place in the world and their impact on it. We foster a culture of social responsibility and activism and hope to ignite an enduring commitment to positive action.

A key part of our curriculum

The Dragon has a long history of philanthropy, but how can we help nurture and shape free-thinking global citizens of the future, and ensure we have a positive social impact as a whole organisation, as well as individuals?

The foundation for this, we feel, is recognising that social impact can take many forms, from fundraising and volunteering, through to questioning the root cause of injustices and actively seeking solutions. The broad range of activities and partnerships we undertake as a school is instrumental in expanding and deepening our understanding of this.

Our programme falls into the following four main areas below.

Curriculum

Engaging in social issues takes head and heart. Galvinised by an array of talks, visitors, academic and co-curricular activities, Dragons are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions, make choices, and build and lead their own social impact projects from a very young age.

Charity Partnerships and Fundraising

The key to the success of our charity partnerships and fundraising efforts is that they are all pupil-led. Our students choose three Charities of the Year for the Dragon School to support, and every child is involved in a Year Group Fundraiser to support these organisations. Our children, staff and parents also help to support dozens of other charities via the annual Dragon Christmas Charity Sale, our national appeals for Comic Relief and Children in Need, the Restless Development Schools Triathlon, and many personal endeavours.

School and Community Partnerships

It’s important to us that our children feel embedded in the local Oxford community. We work closely with a number of local primary schools, including Windale, Pegasus and Orchard Meadow, to co-design collaborative opportunities for children and staff to learn with and from each other, including music, drama and art workshops. We also support the local community through our Community Dragons Quest activities and our Christmas shoebox collections. We help to tackle food poverty in Oxford via our Dragon Community Larder and our kitchens, who distribute 250 hot meals per week to vulnerable people across the city.

Transformational Bursary Programme

Our extensive and thriving Transformational Bursary Programme is aptly named; every year, it supports up to 25 children to attend the Dragon and access an education they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. We’re also proud to offer a number of 110% bursary places as part of our membership of the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation (RNCSF) network of schools.

Partner with the Dragon

If you are interested in finding out more about our Social Impact programme, or would like to be considered as one of the Dragon’s community or charity partners in the future please fill in the below partnerships form, contact us on [email protected] or download the print-ready PDF, here.

Applications for our School Charities of the Year are now closed and will reopen for the 2025/26 school year on 1 May 2025. Please keep an eye on our social media for more information and contact [email protected] if you have any questions in the meantime.

Our impact in numbers in 2022 – 2023

Funds raised

We have raised over £34,000 for charity through our year group fundraisers, our national appeals, our charitable collections and the Schools Triathlon, in addition to the substantial amount raised through the Dragon Sale.

Participants

Over 300 children from nine local primaries took part in our music, theatre, art and STEM workshops.

Hot meals

130,000 hot meals delivered to our local community – 250 meals per week are made by our kitchens and distributed by Oxford Food Hub to vulnerable people across Oxford.

Dragon Charities of the Year 2024 – 2025

Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground

Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground is a well-loved outdoor space in East Oxford where children can meet after school, learn new skills, enjoy good food and make full use of all the activities on offer. It is a vital resource for children in one of the most deprived areas of the country. Our support will help repair the site and secure it for the future.

Registered Charity Number: 273172

Firefly International

Firefly International is an international charity providing education, sports, play and mental health support, including trauma counselling, to children affected by war. Our support will help Firefly International to grow their current programme and reach many more children at this vital time.

Registered Charity Number: SC028744

South Downs National Park Trust

South Downs National Park Trust was established to protect the parks for wildlife and ensure as many people as possible are able to access this diverse and thriving green space. Our support will help the Trust provide day trips and residential stays for children from disadvantaged urban areas, and environmental sessions for trouble teenagers.

Registered Charity Number: 1174975

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